Paper Crane Of Hope started with small beginnings
(This is how it started…)
In 2016, I started noticing the symbol of the paper crane everywhere — in movies, TV shows, shops, posters, even in my dreams.
Wherever I went, they seemed to appear.
It almost felt like the Universe was trying to tell me something.
So I decided to follow this “breadcrumb” and learn how to fold a paper crane for myself.
As I folded, I discovered that the paper crane is a symbol of hope, healing, and peace. I also came across the story of Sadako Sasaki, a young girl affected by the Hiroshima bombing.
She became known for folding 1,000 paper cranes, and for the words:
“I will write peace on your wings and you will fly all over the world.”
That message stayed with me.
And in many ways, it became the beginning of Paper Crane of Hope.
I remember thinking,
“I wonder what would happen if I left this paper crane in my local café, with a message of hope and healing written on its wing?”
At the time, I simply wanted to spread a more positive mental health message into the world — something gentle that might remind people they were not alone.
So I left the paper crane behind.
And almost on a whim, I took a photo of it and posted it anonymously to Instagram.
That was the beginning of Paper Crane Of Hope.
Before I knew it, I was leaving paper cranes with messages on their wings every single day — helping bring awareness to mental health, while quietly spreading hope, healing, and kindness wherever I went.
that’s when the idea came to me…
Paper Cranes were scattered everywhere
I would bundle my baby up in the pram, and together we would walk around the neighbourhood, leaving paper cranes wherever we went.
The park. Cafés. The library. The local pool. Op shops.
Every day, a new paper crane waiting to be found.
What started as one small act of hope quickly began to grow into something much bigger.
Before long, I had people messaging me constantly saying,
“I found your paper crane.”
And over and over again, I would hear:
“It was exactly what I needed to hear.”
That was when I realised how powerful a small message of hope, kindness, and mental health awareness could truly be.
The stories were pouring in…
It felt like the Universe was sending me another breadcrumb. Another message.
People were DM’ing me daily, pouring their hearts out and sharing how finding a paper crane had given them a renewed sense of hope.
At that time, I had been on maternity leave for almost 12 months. As much as I loved working as a youth worker and being part of the community, all I wanted was to be home with my baby girl.
And yet, something was shifting.
There was a quiet but clear sense that it was time to take Paper Crane Of Hope into its next phase.
Paper Crane Of Hope Counselling Services Opened in 2021
For over two decades, I worked in youth and community services — including homelessness support, youth justice, child protection, and community development.
Much of this work involved sitting with people in moments of crisis, complexity, and deep emotional pain. Over time, it gave me a grounded understanding of trauma, and what it means to truly walk alongside someone in their most vulnerable seasons.
It also shaped a quiet knowing in me — that I wanted to offer something more focused and intentional for those finding my paper cranes and presence online. Especially those carrying the long shadows of childhood trauma, religious trauma, and experiences that left them feeling overwhelmed, unsafe, or disconnected from themselves.
The ones who feel deeply.
The ones who think differently.
The ones who have spent years masking, adapting, or holding everything together just to get through.
Including neurodivergent adults, INFJ’s, empaths, introverts, and highly sensitive people.
This led me back to study counselling.
Alongside a move across the country and raising my second baby, I completed my qualifications and began working more intentionally in trauma-informed practice.
In 2021, Paper Crane Of Hope officially became a counselling space — offering trauma-informed, neuroaffirming online counselling for adults healing from childhood trauma and religious trauma.
A place for reconnection. For steadiness. For coming home to yourself. And for hope — in a way that feels safe.
CORE VALUES
Place of Belonging
Paper Crane Of Hope is a place for those who have never quite felt like they belong — who feel different, or surrounded by people yet still on the outside looking in.
Here, you can take a deep breath, exhale, and feel a quiet sense of “I can just be here.”
This space is inclusive of all genders, sexualities, religious beliefs, and cultural identities.
New Beginnings
Paper Crane Of Hope is for those who feel like life has handed them more than they can carry — and yet, still hold onto even the smallest thread of hope.
No matter how deep things feel, or how far away change might seem, there is always the possibility of healing, movement, and a new beginning.
Even from rock bottom, something new can still be built — slowly, gently, in your own time.
Boldness
Paper Crane Of Hope is a place that gently reminds you that it doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from, or what you’ve been through…
You are still allowed to take up space.
Still allowed to dream.
Still allowed to move toward the life you want.
Even after everything, you can choose courage. You can choose boldness — in your own way, at your own pace.
Sometimes it takes booking that first appointment, to know if therapy is right for you.